Matchbook



Aug. 10, 1965 A. B. TODD 3,199,667

MATCHBOOK Filed Oct. 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. A l O n B. Tod d ATTORNEYS Aug. 10, 1965 A. B. TODD 3,199,667

' MATCHBOOK Filed Oct. 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8.

INVENTOR Alon B.Todd

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,199,667 MATCHBGQK Alan B. Todd, 25% N. Vernon St, Arlington, Va. Filed 9st. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 231,469 3 Claims. ((11. 296-29) The present invention relates generally to the matchbook art, and, more particularly, to a matchbook of the type wherein the matches thereof may be exposed with the use of one hand.

A matchbook of this general type has been proposed wherein the arrangement is such that the user can, with a single band, expose the matches so as to simplify the use of a matchbook. In such a proposed matchbook arrangement, as shown, for example, in US. Patents Nos. 2,018,299, 2,142,826, and 2,175,703, the cover of a more or less conventional matchbook is fastened by means of the usual staple which holds the matches in place, so that the cover could not be opened in the usual manner. Instead, folds are provided about the middle portions of both walls of the cover so that these walls could be bent outwardly. Furthermore, a slit is provided along the upper web of the matchbook and which extends from close to one thereof to close to the opposite edge thereof. As shown in the mentioned Patent No. 2,018,- 299, other slits are also provided so that flaps are formed which are separated along a center line thereof with the upper end of the front and rear walls being connected by a small Web on each side.

In such an arrangement, when it is desired to remove a match therefrom, the user presses down on the web whereby the heads of the matches engage the flaps and spread them apart and the web is moved further downedge wardly along the matches and at the same time the walls of the, cover bulge outwardly. When the web is moved to its extreme downward position, the individual matches are exposed and when the web is in the lowermost position, the matches can be removed with the other hand. Then, a simple inward force against the outwardly bulging side walls returns the matchbook device to its original condition.

However, this type of matchbook device presents several difficulties. Since the webs at each side of the slit are narrow,-it is difficult to press the matchbook down into its lowered position to expose the matches. This is because there are but narrow web areas provided for the fingers to engage, and, therefore, the webs may easily become deformed and tear. The reason for the webs being narrow is that there are two webs provided, and matches may not be provided below the webs. Accordingly, the larger the webs, the fewer matches the matchbook can contain, and, therefore, there is a limitation on the size of this web.

Furthermore, the flaps which are provided extend upwardly as the matchbook is being folded into its lowermost position, and there is some difiiculty with the flaps when moving the matchbook into its lowered position. However, by far the most difiiculty is caused upon attempting .to return the matchbook to its original position since the upwardly extending flaps, which engage the stems of the matches, are urged back into position in the plane of the web as the web is moved upwardly along the matches. Then, when the flaps engage the heads of the matches, there is some binding and this detracts from the convenient use of the matchbook.

Also, in such an arrangement, it is necessary to press the web all the way down to the very base of the matches so that a match can be conveniently torn from the sheet of matches. If the web is moved only half way down the matches, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to remove a match therefrom.

With these defects of the prior art in mind, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a matchbook of the character described which may, in a simple manner, expose matches for use with a single hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide a matchbook of the character described wherein there are no obstructions to the sliding movements between the parts thereof when in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a matchbook which can have the matches exposed for use utilizing but one hand of the user and wherein a single match can be removed without the necessity for moving the web all the way down to its lowermost position.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a matchbook device of the character described wherein a single web is provided which is of sufiicient width to provide a firm-member which has a sufiicient area for a finger to engage and which area will not deform with use over periods of time.

These objects and others ancillary thereto are accomplished according to preferred embodiments of the invention wherein a matchbook similar to the conventionally constructed matchbook is provided. The free end of the cover of such matchbook is tucked in behind the short upwardly extending flap upon which the striking surface is provided, and the staple or other fastening means which is used, extends through the cover so that the cover cannot be opened in the usual or conventional manner to expose the matches. Folds are provided on both walls of the cover so that the matchboolr may be folded with the walls extending or bulging outwardly.

A single web is provided which connects the upper ends.

of the walls and which is disposed above the heads of the matches. This web is of less width than the cover proper and therefore defines at least one slot to the side thereof.

This web is also disposed at a position which is spaced from at least one edge of the cover and there are no matches underlying the web.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention in its normal state when not in use.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the embodiment of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a top elevational view of a blank, used for forming the matchbook cover of the present invention.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of the blank illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is .a perspective view illustrating the foldeddown position of the matchbook to expose matches as illustrated in solid lines, and illustrating the out-of-use position with the matches covered, in phantom lines.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the solid line position illustrated in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of the present invention. I

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view similar to that of FIG- URE 5 but showing how a match can be removed even though the top web is depressed but part of the way down.

With more particular reference to the drawings, FIG- U'RE ,1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention wherein a cover 10 is provided which has a front wall 12,

a back wall 14, a connecting web 15 connecting the upper provided within the match cover It} and is fastened in place by means of a staple 22 which also secures the flap 18 onto the lower portion of wall 12 and extends through:

Patented Aug. 10, 1965 the bottom portion of the match assembly 2t? and into the other wall 14.

A blank is illustrated in FIGURE 3 from which the cover '10 is formed. The blank is of any suitable material and is folded to provide various sections to the cover and the two walls 12 and 14 are shown in brackets, as is the wall 18. In the subsequent description the various panels of the blank of FIGURE 3 will be described and in connection with this reference should be had also to FIGURES 1 and 2.

The single sheet of material forming the blank is provided with three panels which define the wall 12. The end of the wall 12 is provided with a short panel 24 which is actually tucked behind the fiap 18. Then, there is a center panel 26, and an upper panel, 23 provided with an upward projection 39 in the center of the panel. The panels of wall 12 are connected by fold lines 25 and 27. The web 16 is connected with the upwardly projecting portion 36 of panel 28 by fold line 29.

The wall 14 is constructed in a generally similar fashion as the wall 12 and is composed of panels 32, 34, and 36 which are connected by fold lines 33 and 35, respectively. A centrally disposed, upwardly projecting portion 38 is provided on panel 36 and is connected with the web 16 along a fold line 37.

A connecting portion 39 is provided between the panel 14 and the flap 18, and fold lines 49 and 41 are provided to allow proper folding thereof. A portion of the panel 18 is provided with a special surface 42, which is a match striking surface, as is well known in this art.

The blank of FIGURE 3 is folded into the shape illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2 so that the cover 10 surrounds the match assembly 20, and the arrangement is such that the fold lines 27 and 35 allow for outward movement of the panels and the fold lines 25 and 33 allow the panels immediately thereabove, i.e., panels 26 and 3 5, respectively, to be folded outwardly so that the matchbook under proper manipulation may be placed in the folded down position illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, allowing the matches of assembly 20 to be exposed for removal.

In the completion of the matchbook, sheets 44 which define the matches by being slit and having heads 47 provided thereon. are arranged in the usual conventional manner. A plurality of these sheets are used to form the match assembly 20 which is placed into position with the bottom of these sheets engaging the upper surface of panel 39 before staple 22 is engaged through wall 18, through the panel 24 of wall 12, through the bottom of the sheets of matches 44, and through panel 32 of wall 14, in order to complete the matchbook. It should be noted that the matches which are disposed below the web 16 are omitted from the sheets.

Thus, the width of the walls 12 and 14 is greater than the width occupied by the matches, it being noted that some matches are omitted from the match sheets, and a space is thus provided between walls 12 and 14 in the place unoccupied by matches.

Thus, with the construction which has been identified above, the matchbook may be taken by a user in one hand, for example, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, between the thumb and the index finger, with the thumb resting on the web, and a simple application of downward pressure indicated by the arrow, will move the web 16 downwardly into the opening or interspace provided between the groups of matches so that the matchbook will be folded into the position illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6. When so folded down, a match may easily be removed through the slots 46, which are defined between the Web and the walls 12 and 14 and which open into vertical opening defined between the vertical side edges of walls 12 and 14.

Another embodiment is illustrated in FIGURE 7, wherein similar elements are identified with similar reference numerals, but with a prime added. Thus, front wall 12' and rear wall 14 are provided and a match assembly 26' is inserted within the cover. In this embodiment, however, the web 16 is located at one extreme side of the cover walls and there is but a single group of matches and a single slot. It should be noted that this type of matchbook may be provided for left-handed or righthanded users, the difference being that the web 16' will be at one or the other side of the matchbook. For example, in FIGURE 7 a matchbook for right-handed users is provided since the striking surface is provided on the same side of the matchbook as the wall 12, and if a righthanded user takes the matchbook in his left hand and presses downwardly on web 16' with his thumb, the matches will be exposed so that one watch will be torn free with the right hand and then struck on the striking surface thereof. In a similar manner, the web may be provided at the other side of the matchbook wherein the procedure would be reversed for a left-handed user.

Thus, the operation of the present invention and a specific example thereof have been described from which it will be seen that, since the slots 46 are provided, there will be no impediments whatsoever to the proper folding down of the matchbook. Furthermore, the matchbook, although designed for the web to be moved to the lowermost position illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, does not necessarily have to be moved into this position, since in all cases the open sides of the matchbook between the edges of the walls 12 and 14 open directly into the slots 46 so that, if a matchbook is only partially moved down into its folded position, a match 47a may nevertheless be removed, as shown in FIGURE 8. Furthermore, since a single web is provided, there is sufficient width for a finger to properly engage, and thus a sufficient pressing area is provided which will not be quickly deformed, and all of this is obtained without a decrease in the number of matches which are available.

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes, and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.

It should thus be seen that the present invention provides an advantage over the prior proposal mentioned above. With the present invention the matchbook may be folded with a single finger, usually the thumb, whereas in the above mentioned proposed matchbook there are two thin webs and two fingers are required to operate this matchbook. The reason for this is that if only one finger is used there will be a wedge action and it will not be possible to fold the matchbook in its lowered position, and thus it is necessary to use two fingers, one on each web to properly operate the previously proposed matchbook.

What is claimed is:

1. A matchbook comprising, in combination: match means incorporating at least one sheet having an unslit bottom edge portion and an upper portion provided with a series of vertical slits thereby forming a plurality of individual matches each having a free upper end, each of said matches having at its free upper end a head; and a cover made of one piece of foldable material and surrounding said match sheet, said cover having a front wall located in front of said sheet and a rear wall located behind said sheet, said front and rear walls being connected to said bottom edge portion of said match sheet, and said front and rear walls being spaced apart through their entire height and width so that there is formed one vertical opening between one vertical side edge of said front wall and the opposite vertical side edge of said rear wall and another vertical opening between the other vertical side edge of said front wall and the opposite vertical side edge of said rear wall, the width of said front and rear walls being greater than the width of the space occupied by said upper portion of said match sheet so that there will be formed an interspace between said front and rear walls unoccupied by said upper portion of said match sheet, said interspace being located away from at least one of said vertical openings, said cover further having a single top web hingedly connected to and joining said front and rear walls, said web having a width substantially equal to the ditierence between the width of said front and rear walls and the width of said upper portion of said match sheet and therefore a width substantially equal to the width of said unoccupied interspace, said web overlying said unoccupied space and thus also being located away from at least said one Vertical opening, said front and rear walls being foldable along horizontal fold lines which allow said front and rear walls to fold away from said match sheet, whereby said single web may be pressed at least partially downwardly into the space unoccupied by the upper portion of said match sheet, thereby exposing the latter and allowing individual matches to be torn from said match sheet and withdrawn from the matchbook through that particular vertical opening away from which said unoccupied space and said web are located and whereby, further, a match may be torn from said match unoccupied space and said single web are located directly adjacent one of the two vertical openings so that, upon partial depression of said web, matches may be withdrawn from the matchbook only through the other of the two vertical openings.

3. A matchbook as defined in claim 1 wherein said unoccupied space and said single web are located in the middle of the matchbook and thus are located away from both of said vertical openings so that, upon partial depression of said Web, each match can be withdrawn from the matchbook through the nearer one of the two vertical openings.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,018,299 10/35 Davidson 20629 2,142,826 =1 39 Rosello 20629 2,175,703 l0/39 Rosello 20629 3,057,470 10/62 Heiber 20662 T HERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners. 

1. A MATCHBOOK COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: MATCH MEANS INCORPORATING AT LEAST ONE SHEET HAVING AN UNSLIT BOTTOM EDGE PORTION AND AN UPPER PORTION PROIDED WITH A SERIES OF VERTICAL SLITS THEREBY FORMING A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL MATCHES EACH HAVING A FREE UPPER END, EACH OF SAID MATCHES HAVING AT ITS FREE UPPER END A HEAD; AND A COVER MADE OF ONE PIECE OF FOLDABLE MATERIAL AND SURROUNDING SAID MATCH SHEET, SAID COVER HAVING A FRONT WALL LOCATED IN FRONT OF SAID SHEET AND A REAR WALL LOCATED BEHIND SAID SHEET, SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS BEING CONNECTED TO SAID BOTTOM EDGE PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET, AND SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS BIENG SPACED APART THROUGH THEIR ENTIRE HEIGHT AND WIDTH SOT THAT THEREW IS FORMED ONE VERTICAL OPENING BETWEEN ONE VERTICAL SIDE EDGE OF SAID FRONT WALL AND THE OPPOSITE VERTICAL SIDE EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL AND ANOTHER VERTICAL OPENING BETWEEN THE OTHER VERTICAL SIDE EDGE OF SAID FRONT WALL AND THE OPPOSITE VERTICAL SIDE EDGE OF SAID REAR WALL, THE WIDTH OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY SAID BEING GREATER THAN THE WIDTH OF THE SPACE OCCUPIED BY SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET SO THAT THERE WILL BE FORMED AN INTERSPACE BETWEEN SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS UNOCCUPIED BY SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET, SAID INTERSPACE BEING LOCATED AWAY FROM AT LEAST ONE OF SAID VERTICAL OPENINGS, SAID COVER FURTHER HAVING A SINGLE TOP WEB HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO AND JOINING SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS, SAID WEB HAVING A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO WALLS AND THE WIDTH OF SAID UPPER PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET AND THEREFORE A WIDTH SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID UNOCCUPIED INTERSPACE, SAID WEB OVERLYING SAID UNOCCUPIED SPACE AND THUS ALSO BEING LOCATED AWAY FROM AT LEAST SAID ONE VERTICAL OPENING, SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS BEING FOLDABLE ALONG HORIZONTAL FOLD LINES WHICH ALOW SAID FRONT AND REAR WALLS TO FOLD AWAY FROM SAID MATCH SHEET, WHEREBY SAID SINGLE WEB MAY BE PRESSED AT LEAST PARTIALLY DOWNWARDLY INTO THE SPACE UNOCCUPIED BY THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET, THEREBY EXPOSING THE LATTER AND ALLOWING INDIVIDUAL MATCHES TO BE TORN FROM SAID MATCH SHEET AND WITHDRAWN FROM THE MATCHBOOK THROUGH THAT PARTICULAR VERTICAL OPENING AWAY FROM WHICH SAID UNOCCUPIED SPACE AND SAID WEB ARE LOCATED AND WHEREBY, FURTHER, A MATCH MAY BE TORN FROM SAID MATCH SHEET AND WITHDRAWN LATERLALY EVEN THOUGH SAID SINGLE WEB IS PRESSED BUT PARTIALLY DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID SPACE UNOCCUPIED BY THE UPPER PORTION OF SAID MATCH SHEET. 